ListentoLaney

I was born and raised in the “Bluff City,” Memphis, Tennessee by my loving mother, Claudia. In 2015, my mother and I relocated to Atlanta, Georgia where I attended Booker T. Washington High School before permanently moving to Huntsville, Alabama in 2016. I graduated from Columbia High School in 2018.

Since an early age, I have possessed a keen interest in writing and news media. Local and major news outlets were prevalent in my household, as it was always on the television or radio. I became fascinated with the aura and professionalism of the on-air talent and would often say, “I can see myself doing that someday.”

It was not until my sophomore year in high school that I began to make my dream a reality by getting involved in student-centered media organizations. My first ever interview was with Raymond "Tweet" Williams, an Atlanta native and classmate of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. I was captivated by his stories of life as an African American male in Georgia, the obstacles he overcame and how he relished providing resources for the community that molded him.

Because of that interview, I knew I wanted to take my passion for journalism a step further.

I graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Auburn University in May 2022.

During my time at Auburn, I served as reporter intern at Opelika Auburn News, a multimedia journalist for Eagle Eye TV, Auburn's only student-run television station, and a columnist for The Auburn Plainsman, a student-run news outlet.

In addition, I had the privilege of writing for professional news outlets such as Mountain Valley Newspaper in Rainsville, Alabama, and WRBL News 3, a CBS-affiliated television station licensed to Columbus, Georgia.

Since June 2022, I have been a news producer at WAFF 48 News in Huntsville, Alabama. 

I am also pursuing a master's degree in journalism and media studies at The University of Alabama. One goal of mine is to catalyze the learning environment by returning to the classroom as a Journalism professor. I am most looking forward to the opportunity to inspire a new generation of emerging journalists to reach their full potential.

Furthermore, I want to become an author.

In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, shopping, community service, and spending time with family and friends.